Barra, Eoligarry, Uamh An Duin

NF60NE 5 6956 0798.

A cave (Uamh an Duin, at NF 6956 0798), halfway down the cliff between Dun Scurrival (NF60NE 3) and the western shore, shows signs of occupation (peat ash and shell debris) (A Young 1958). It measures 16.0m in length and is 3.0m wide and 2.7m high at the entrance tapering to 0.7m wide and 7.0 m. high at its far end. Only a few shells were visible during field investigation, interspersed with the carcasses of dead rabbits, mole and mice, brought in by the birds which now inhabit the cave.

Visited by OS (R B) 25 May 1965; OS 6"map annotated by A L F Rivet 1959; A Young 1958.

NF 696 079 To test the hypothesis that Mesolithic peoples exploiting the coastal fringe now submerged off the W coast of Barra would have made use of the small cave below Dun Scurrival, overlooking this area, a trench 5 x 1m was excavated at the side of the platform outside the cave. Below topsoil a deposit of hillwash contained a small mixed assemblage of medieval and earlier pottery, flint pebbles and quartz chunks, and a saddle quern. This deposit overlay a dark rather sandy soil in which both hand-made pottery and flint and quartz flakes were found. Towards the top end of the trench, the corner of a low stone-built platform was found, with a small hearth area in one corner.

The pottery is provisionally identified as Middle Iron Age, although a single example of a quartzite skaill knife might hint at some earlier use of the site.

Sponsor: University of Sheffield.

K Branigan 1998.